In order to ensure that all types and makes of flatracks, pallets, containers and other derivatives can be operated equally by any of the military vehicles which are subject to an interservice agreement and even intercountry harmonization plan the base design and dimensions have been duly standardized.
The principle features call for a flatrack with two main beams or girders which are equally spaced on either side of a longitudinal centerline of the flatrack with the inner faces of the beams set between 901 mm and 906 mm apart and the outer faces set between 1060 mm and 1065 mm apart. The details also call for a clear and un-encumbered height between the underside of the flatrack floor and cross supports, and the lower face of the two main beams, and between the front and rear frame assemblies, of not less than 150 mm. This space is desired to ensure that when loaded onto the vehicle, the flatrack provides adequate "bump clearance" for the operating truck wheels in the areas outside of the main beams, and clearance for the truck's hooklift crane operating mechanism to be housed between the main beams.
In those instances when the aforesaid clearance of the flatrack is less than 150 mm as is often found in the standard PLS flatrack it will be necessary to increase the height of the two main beams by an additional about 45 mm.
The dimensions and spacing of the beams is also critical to the loading and unloading system employed on the vehicle, in that the beams act as guide and support rails during the loading, transfer to a trailer, and unloading operations working in conjunction with a guidance roller assembly mounted at the top rear of the vehicle's main chassis.
It should be noted that the flatrack also must have appropriate corner fittings or blocks to be provided at each lower corner of the flatrack. The corner fittings must have a bottom face 17.5 mm below any other part of the flatrack, and therefore, the footprint of the flatrack to be used herein consists of the four lower faces of the corner fittings or blocks which are each 178 mm.times.162 mm, set at the corners of a total base area of 2.438 mm.times.6,650 mm maximum.
Due to the fact that the aircraft must be as light as possible, a heavy duty cargo floor cannot be used and, therefore, the footprint of the container must be such so that it will distribute the total load of the container over the largest possible area of the aircraft floor. Furthermore, heavy loads must be pushed or rolled into one or other ends of the aircraft or in some limited cases through a doorway in the side of the aircraft. In order to accommodate this loading difficulty aircraft floor roller systems of predetermined dimensions and configurations have been utilized and aircraft loaders with matching roller systems have been developed. Unfortunately, however, the roller systems for each aircraft is dimensioned and configured somewhat differently.
It is an object of the present invention to disclose a container that may be carried on vehicles and may then be transferred to an aircraft loader. In the past a conventional acceptable flatrack is fitted with skids along and under the longitudinal edge portions thereof. Such a prior art skid can be seen from FIG. 4, wherein an elongated skid 100 has a rectangular configuration. It has an upstanding outer wall 101. A skid is positioned alongside and underneath at each longitudinal edge of the flatrack. The skid may be bolted to the front and rear corner fittings of the flatrack through bores 102. The skid is therefore about 18 inches wide and about twenty feet in length. The skid has a running length extending portion 103 beyond the side longitudinal sides of the flatrack terminating in a shoulder 104 adapted to be embraced by conventional clamps disposed in the aircraft's floor. The problem with the use of the skids of the prior art is that they are separable added-on elements that may be bolted on permanently but then the flatrack cannot be used on a vehicle because of the need for the space to accommodate the wheels of the vehicle as heretofore mentioned. If the skids are removed they are subject to becoming misplaced and are then not available for use when needed.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to disclose skid adjuncts for a flatrack container that is affixed to the flatrack in a permanent manner, is foldable out of the way for storage and is unfurled into a use position when desired all without unduely increasing the weight of the entire assemblage.
It will be seen that the skids are extendable to increase the unit width from 96 inches to 108 inches in order to engage the aircraft locking system and are designed to be the lowest point of the unit. By being of a sufficient width of 18 inches they ensure direct contact with all of the known aircraft/loader roller configurations. The skid adjunct is capable of supporting the total maximum load of 16.5 metric tons imposed by the unit and spreading that load through the aircraft/loader floor. The skid adjunct is a part of the flatrack unit, but when not in use as aircraft load spreaders the folded skids do not interfere with the primary function of the flatrack in it's PLS role. Furthermore, the mechanical operation of the load spreader skids is achieved manually by one person without the use of separate operating equipment.